Features of a Good Research
Features
of a Good Research
Design
It is a challenge to translate general scientific model into a practical
research operation. Therefore, designing a research study is not a simple task.
There is nothing like completely correct design or completely incorrect design.
A design may work very well for one research problem and may not work at all
for the other. There are some features, however, a good research design should possess.
They
are:
1. Freedom
from bias: A good research design should ensure that the method
of data collection and analysis would not cause the data to vary in a
systematic way. That is to say that the data should be free from systematic
errors.
2. Freedom
from confounding: In a good research design the variables
involved in the study are separated from each other so that they do not
influence each other.
3. Control
of extraneous variables: In a well-designed research study
the variables that are not under scrutiny do not influence the experimental
variables in a systematic way for example things like temperature, time of day
etc.
4. Statistical
precision for testing hypothesis: A research design should
ensure that the data are recorded at a level of precision that will yield
statistically meaningful results.
5. With
in resources: A design should draw limits of a research
study so that it could be completed within available resources like time, money
and staff.
6. Optimality:
The best research design is one, which yields maximum precision in terms of
bias and variance using minimum resources in terms sample size, time and money.
7. Objectivity:
If operated by more than one researcher a good research design obtains same
results. Thus, a good research design should be free from the subjectivity of
its performer.
8. Flexibility:
It is often observed that one has to deviate from the basic research design
during the operation of the research study due to real world problems. A good
research design is one, which not only has the potential to predict such
practical problems, but also is flexible enough to incorporate changes in it
whenever needed.
Features
of a Good Research Design
1. Freedom
from bias
2. Freedom
from confounding
3. Control
of extraneous variables
4. Statistical
precision for testing hypothesis
5. With
in resources
6. Optimality
7. Objectivity
8. Flexibility
Different
Research Designs
After
the formulation and definition of research problem, the next step is to choose
an appropriate research design. Every research study is unique in itself, but
there are certain things common in these studies. On the basis of these
commonalities one can categorize the research studies by research methods and
procedures used to collect and analyze data.
Accordingly,
a research design is chosen. There are three basic types of research designs:
1. Exploratory
2. Descriptive
or diagnostic research design
3. Causal
or Hypothesis testing or Experimental research design
Exploratory
Exploratory
research is defined as collecting information in an unstructured and informal
way. For example, a restaurant owner may regularly visit other competing
restaurants in order to gather information about menu selection, prices and service
quality. In exploratory type of research, the investigation may be conducted
because a problem has not been clearly defined. It helps in determining the
best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects. Usually
exploratory research is qualitative in nature. Some times exploratory research
may even conclude that a perceived problem does not actually exist. Generally
an exploratory research design helps in finding out the feasibility of the
research problem, getting familiar with various components of the study,
generating new ideas, and formulating the hypothesis. Exploratory research
designs are of different forms depending on the nature and objectives of the
study.
The
following three forms are most popular:
(a)
Literature Survey: In any research, review of literature is
an essential part. The literature survey is carried out at a preliminary stage
of the research. Through the review, one understands the work that has already
been done and what more can be explored in one’s chosen field. The theories and
techniques used in the existing literature can be used in the present analysis
or these can be modified to give better results. The literature are the
documentary sources of information which are contained in the published and unpublished
documents, reports, statistics, manuscripts, letters, diaries, and so on. It is
important for scientific workers to scrutinize these sources very closely.
Since not all documents can be consulted, it is best to start a selective
process early. The theory and techniques of the literature must serve useful
purpose in the present study. And, their meaning should not have altered with
changing circumstances with the passage of time.
(b)
Expert Survey: Expert Survey or experience survey means
consulting the experienced researchers who are experts in the field of study.
One should not be shy in taking advice and guidance of such people. They should
be given sometime with the problem before asking them questions about the
study, so that they can give their opinion after a good thought on the problem.
(c)
Example Survey: In case of a new type of studies
sometimes neither much literature nor expert advice is available. In such
situations it is advisable to go through some case studies performed in the
past. This refers to ‘insight stimulating examples’. Single cases or a group of
cases, as may be relevant to the research study are selected and studied in
order to collect data for main study.
Descriptive
or diagnostic research design
Descriptive
research refers to a set of methods and procedures that describe the study
variables. Descriptive studies portray these variables by answering who, what,
why and how questions. These types of research studies may describe such things
as consumer’s attitudes, intentions, behaviors or the number of competitors and
their strategies. Descriptive research is also known as statistical research or
diagnostic research. It describes data and characteristics about the population
or phenomenon being studied. The description is used for frequencies, averages
and other statistical calculations. The process of conducting descriptive
research can be linked to that of passing an idea through an hourglass. The
research starts with a consideration of the larger issues of interest, and
these are then narrowed into a specific question (hypothesis) that can only be
evaluated with some degree of control. The components of the hypothesis are
operationalized into observable units and behaviors to ensure that the
independent and dependent variables can be observed and measured. Research is
then conducted to observe the relationships of interest, in the context of the
specified research environment. Observations are made, and data are collected
to reflect behaviors, changes and other indicators of interest. The data are
filtered and analyzed in order to generate conclusions that may support or
refute the hypothesis, and then everything is considered in the context of the
bigger picture, which usually includes reference and association to the board
issues that started the process. Although data description is factual, accurate
and systematic, the research cannot describe what caused a situation. Thus,
descriptive research cannot be used to create causal relationship where one
variable affects another.
Causal
or Hypothesis testing or Experimental research design
Causal
research designs are used in hypothesis testing research or experimental
research studies. This type of research design is conducted by controlling
various factors to determine which factors are causing the problem. It isolates
causes and effects. By changing one factor, say price you can monitor its
effects on a key consequence such as sales. Although experimental research can
give a high level of understanding of the variables under study, the designs
often require experiments that are complex and expensive.
Some
of the popular experimental designs are:
(a)
Completely randomized design
(b)
Randomized block design
(c)
Latin square design
(d)
Factorial design.
Different
Research Designs
Exploratory
(a)
Literature Survey
(b)
Expert Survey
(c)
Example Survey
Descriptive
or diagnostic research design
Causal
or Hypothesis testing or Experimental research design
(a)
Completely randomized design
(b)
Randomized block design
(c)
Latin square design
(d)
Factorial designs
Pankaj Mandape
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